Custom Atari 2600 Carts

[Albert]

I can now build custom, one-off carts for the 2600 (as well as 5200 and 7800) with high-quality, glossy, die-cut label using a new printer, custom label die and label stock I recently purchased. For the 2600, with the Melody Board, this means I can produce cartridges with virtually any bankswitching method. All you need to do is send me the binary and the label files you want me to use and I can make you a spiffy cartridge. Here's an example of two carts I made recently using this process:

 

 

The labels have a glossy appearance, nice, rounded corners and have a strong adhesive so they won't peel up off the cartridge. These are the nicest labels I've been able to print myself without having to have large runs of labels professionally printed. Since 2600, 5200 and 7800 carts all use the same size labels, I can easily make custom carts for any of those systems (I will offer this same service for the ColecoVision soon as well).

 

Follow these links for complete details on how to order these custom cartridges:

 

Custom Atari 2600 Cartridge

Custom Atari 5200 Cartridge

Custom Atari 7800 Cartridge

 

Note that I will not produce cartridges of homebrew games or hacks without the author's permission. Also, if you ask me to create cartridges of rare 2600 titles, I will add "REPRODUCTION CARTRIDGE" in small type somewhere on the label (and I'll get your approval before printing the labels). I don't want to see these cartridges hit eBay with the intent to deceive buyers.

 

I'll add pictures of carts as I get orders for them and permission to display them publicly (I'll probably create a gallery of pictures so people can see examples). I'm also hoping to build up a library of label art that I can offer to people wanting custom carts of this nature.

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask here or send me a message privately.

 

..Al

[Pioneer4x4]

That looks VERY nice, what is the trimmer die like? The graphic resolution seems very high in the samples, they look great.

[Albert]

That looks VERY nice, what is the trimmer die like? The graphic resolution seems very high in the samples, they look great.

I have no idea what the actual die looks like, even though I own it. The printing company built a metal die to my specifications and it's used to stamp the label sheets. It's a purpose built die and they are pretty expensive.

 

..Al

[Pioneer4x4]

I have no idea what the actual die looks like, even though I own it. The printing company built a metal die to my specifications and it's used to stamp the label sheets. It's a purpose built die and they are pretty expensive.

 

..Al

I thought about getting one of the CriCut deals for my kids and odd projects. I was hoping in the back of my mind that I could use it to trim atari labels with rounded corners.

Will you sell labels seperate?

[atari181]

I would be interested in some labels only as well

Edited May 7, 2010 by atari181

[Albert]

I'm not sure if I'll sell individual label sheets yet. How much would you be willing to pay for a sheet with five sets of labels (end labels and main labels)?

 

..Al

[Cebus Capucinis]

Between three and four whole dollars!

 

Seriously the labels are fricking awesome. I had one of them for inspection a while back and it is phenomenal. Shiny, bright, vibrant, GREAT!

 

And the CARTS? HOLY CRAP! Whoever cleaned up those carts deserves free homebrews and a t-shirt.

 

I would realistically pay $15ish for a sheet of good, high quality labels.

[atari181]

I'm not sure if I'll sell individual label sheets yet. How much would you be willing to pay for a sheet with five sets of labels (end labels and main labels)?

 

..Al

$10 to $20

[CPUWIZ]

[Pioneer4x4]

I'm not sure if I'll sell individual label sheets yet. How much would you be willing to pay for a sheet with five sets of labels (end labels and main labels)?

 

..Al

Ugh, I was afraid you would ask that. Not much, I collect Atari for kicks because it is cheap (at my level). If it was 5 different labels, (I'm sure it is harder for you to setup 5 different, but maybe not too much harder), maybe $5 shipped? That is only for reproduction type to clean up some ratty ones I have, or for joke/props. If I ever make a game I want to put in hardware, and for some reason, don't order completed carts from someone, I'd probably go a bit more.

I don't know what your costs are per label, let alone buying the hardware. I made up a nice speedometer overlay for a vehicle that used to have a basic one, that is no longer available. I never bothered to make it on quality label material, and have it die cut. I knew it would be sold to a minimal market, maybe 100 items tops. I gave some away cheap/free on inkjet sticker paper, and kept the design for later. that is why I was interested in the cutting/trimming part. Even a rounded corner rectangle is difficult to do by hand.

[lucifershalo]

yes, Al, are you talking about a sheet of 5 different labels or 5 times the same one?

[Fr0st]

So I pick a game, come up with a label, pass it on to you Al, and you put it all together? Sounds sweet! PAL supported?

[Wickeycolumbus]

I'd be potentially interested in labels too, but $4 per label is way too expensive for me... I would be willing to pay around $1 per label (main and end).

[GroovyBee]

PAL supported?

 

That depends on the game you choose. Not all games come in PAL and NTSC flavours.

[Fr0st]

Is there a list of PAL games to choose from so?

[GroovyBee]

Is there a list of PAL games to choose from so?

 

Do you mean homebrew game images that come with permission to make carts or back catalogue reproductions?

[Fr0st]

Is there a list of PAL games to choose from so?

 

Do you mean homebrew game images that come with permission to make carts or back catalogue reproductions?

 

Back catalogue games

[GroovyBee]

Back catalogue games

 

There are plenty of PAL ROM images in the Atarimania collection :-

 

http://www.atarimania.com/rom_collection_archive_atari_2600_roms.html

 

Its a 7.1MB download at the bottom of that page.

[+batari]

I have no idea what the actual die looks like, even though I own it. The printing company built a metal die to my specifications and it's used to stamp the label sheets. It's a purpose built die and they are pretty expensive.

 

..Al

I thought about getting one of the CriCut deals for my kids and odd projects. I was hoping in the back of my mind that I could use it to trim atari labels with rounded corners.

Will you sell labels seperate?

I thought the same thing after I saw my sister-in-law's CriCut in action, but she claims it cannot do custom sizes - you must select among a number of pre-programmed shapes. I have no idea if she's right or not.

[Pioneer4x4]

I thought the same thing after I saw my sister-in-law's CriCut in action, but she claims it cannot do custom sizes - you must select among a number of pre-programmed shapes. I have no idea if she's right or not.

I watched an infomercial with my Daughter a few month back, and it looked promising. I don't know how much you can scale builtin patterns.

[Buzbard]

I thought the same thing after I saw my sister-in-law's CriCut in action, but she claims it cannot do custom sizes - you must select among a number of pre-programmed shapes. I have no idea if she's right or not.

 

Right, the CriCut will only cut predesigned shapes, but the Pazzles claims to attach to your computer and allow custom shapes and sizes.

[Albert]

yes, Al, are you talking about a sheet of 5 different labels or 5 times the same one?

I was thinking blank label sheets that you could print yourself. To sell printed labels, I wouldn't be able to run the sheet through the printer again after cutting labels out, so I'd likely need to print the entire sheet. I'll have to give some thought as to how much I'd charge for such a service.

 

So I pick a game, come up with a label, pass it on to you Al, and you put it all together? Sounds sweet! PAL supported?

Yes, as others have already answered, as long as you supply a PAL binary.

 

..Al

[shadow460]

I'd be potentially interested in labels too, but $4 per label is way too expensive for me... I would be willing to pay around $1 per label (main and end).

It costs me $5 a pop for label sheets when I make my own. They don't come out even close to what Al posted. If a sheet of various labels could be made at high quality, I'd definitely be willing to pay $5 or $10 for them.

[Pioneer4x4]

Al,

I Have a couple more questions.

Say I ask you to make me a cart with my own homebrew bin, and I choose Melody board. Is there any way I can reprogram it if I update my own game? If so, how? And if not, what would your fee be? I see you offer free udates for Homebrews, and $15 I think for switching to a new game, so I assume that it would be in that range.

 

If the label is more than $1-$2 per cart, will you offer the carts discounted without labels? (I really don't know how much you have invested in label printing, and you might want to make it a required option to help pay it off)

 

I have a couple projects I want in an actual cart, 1 is mainly a gag gift on a coworker that I will end up keeping after displaying it, so I will probably not want to keep it. The other I want in hardware, but will definitely want to upgrade. I guess I need to bite the bullet and buy another Harmony for that.

[Bakasama]

Wow, that means we can make our own Knight Rider carts sans the actual game.